DCCC Introduces Mobile Manufacturing Lab

July 31, 2013 – Measuring in at 44 feet long and featuring aluminum and steel construction, Davidson County Community College’s new Mobile Manufacturing Training Lab is technology on wheels, serving not only DCCC students but also local advanced manufacturing businesses. The mobile lab was revealed yesterday during a job fair at the Davie Campus.

The DCCC Foundation provided funds for the trailer, which was purchased from Trailers of the East Coast in Mocksville; equipment inside the trailer was paid for by the Golden LEAF Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is helping to transform North Carolina’s economy. Thanks to funds from both foundations, DCCC is now able to use the customized mobile lab not only as a training lab but also a marketing tool to help recruit high school students and the general public.

The mobile lab has been in the works for more than a year, as DCCC faculty and staff spent time researching to find machines that would fit the needs of the college, as well as an appropriate trailer that would work.

“The staff at Trailers of the East Coast helped out tremendously with this project,” says Donovan McBride, instructor in the Manufacturing Technologies program at DCCC. “Our goal with this finished product is to bring customized training to companies that might have difficulty sending their employees off campus to train. This allows us to come to them.”

The lab features HAAS equipment, including a computer numerically controlled (CNC) mill and a CNC lathe, and will also be able to load and unload equipment for welding, electronics engineering, drafting and design and industrial systems – allowing for tailored training. The equipment in the trailer contains software such as Solidworks 3-D modeling software and MasterCam CAD/CAM software. The school also hopes to add a 3-D printer in the future.

“The lab will be able to house eight students and one instructor for on-site training,” says Michael Davis, instructor in the Manufacturing Technologies program at DCCC. “The trailer – which is a fully self-contained lab – will serve as a remarkable tool not only for employees at local businesses but for our students as well.”

Davis notes that, in particular, students and employees using the tools and technology in the mobile lab will gain hands-on experience using top-notch machines and simulators that will help them succeed in future and current careers in advanced manufacturing.

“We hope to expose younger people to what manufacturing is and how important it is in our everyday lives,” McBride says. “Also, we want to show how fun, challenging and rewarding manufacturing can be.”

*Editor’s Note: The first image shows DCCC faculty and staff, as well as representatives from Davie County and Trailers of the East Coast as they celebrate the reveal of the mobile manufacturing lab. Pictured, from left to right, are Rusty Hunt, vice president of Financial and Administrative Services at DCCC; Mark Boger, sales associate for Trailers of the East Coast; Clint Junker, co-owner of Trailers of the East Coast; Pamela Shortt, associate dean of Business, Engineering and Technology at DCCC; Donovan McBride, faculty member in Manufacturing Technology at DCCC; Bill Junker, president and co-owner of Trailers of the East Coast; Anissa Causey, project coordinator for the North Carolina Advanced Manufacturing Alliance at DCCC; Teresa Kines, dean of the DCCC Davie Campus; Michael Davis, faculty member in Manufacturing Technology at DCCC; Terry Bralley, president of Davie County Economic Development Commission; and Dr. Mary E. Rittling, DCCC president.

The second photo shows the exterior of the mobile manufacturing lab; the third image shows a robotic arm, one of the many machines inside the mobile lab.

Founded in 1963, Davidson County Community College is noted for its quality educational programs and services. As one of 58 institutions within the North Carolina Community College System, DCCC offers studies in more than 50 degree programs. A fully-accredited, multi-campus college, DCCC celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. It is committed to developing minds, inspiring imaginations, and preparing students for enhanced career and educational opportunities within a changing global environment. Visit Davidson County Community College on the Web at davidsonccc.edu.